On-the-highly-condemnable-ill-treatment-of-nigerians-in-ghana-a-wake-up-call-for-nigerians-and-its-government
September 7, 2020 | News
ON THE HIGHLY CONDEMNABLE ILL-TREATMENT OF NIGERIANS IN GHANA - A WAKE UP CALL FOR NIGERIANS AND ITS GOVERNMENT
While I strongly condemn the harassment and ill-treatment of Nigerian traders and business owners in Ghana by the Ghanian Security operatives and people, which have made major headlines and have attracted global attention, I also strongly believe that the said unfortunate incident should be taken as another wake up call for the Nigerian Government and its citizenry to honestly start investing heavily in Nigeria. There was a time it was "Ghana Must Go", now we are seeing "Nigerians Must Go" in Ghana indirectly. And they are able to do this because they have succeeded in having a strong developed economic and governance structure in their country, which Nigerian have not been able to succeed in doing in theirs.
Though, the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana has been frosty since the late 60s and early 70s, and still counting, I am a bit surprised that the said relationship is getting worst by the day, despite all that Ghana has benefitted economically from Nigeria. Nigeria has been giving them gas through the West African Gas pipelines to operate their power plants and factories. Many Nigerians have taken Ghana as their second home, with so many investments in that country in different sectors like Banking, Real Estate, etc. Many Nigerians also school in Ghana and they are made to pay heavily like foreign students. Not to mention some Nigerian politicians who loot and take there. In fact, Nigerians and Ghanians see themselves as brothers and sisters.
So, it is therefore condemnable when Nigerians traders in Ghana are getting their shops locked and beaten by Security operatives, who were implementing a new policy that required that all foreigners cannot own some businesses without investing heavily in Ghana first. Let us be reminded that most of the traders had their businesses registered in Ghana by the relevant Ghanian authorities. And have been paying taxes all these while. So, why come now to demand that they first invest heavily before they can be allowed to operate?
The truth is, with such policies from Ghana, and the Ghanian police harassing Nigerians, the purpose of the ECOWAS AND AFRICAN UNION TRADE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES IS DEFEATED AND USELESS. AS SUCH, I BELIEVE THAT NIGERIA SHOULD QUIT both regional and continental Organisations/Unions with immediate effect. Until Nigerians in Ghana and other African countries are treated with respect in those countries. It is appalling that the rest of African countries only think of what they can gain from Nigeria, and not what they can contribute toward smoothening the relationships.
I have warned severally, particularly when South-Africans were attacking Nigerians in their country, that sooner or later, other African countries will start attacking Nigerians in their country. If as at 1995, Nigerian petty traders were asked to meet up with $50,000 to do business in Ghana, and yet they still export their businesses there, what then has changed to bring about this new policy? There is nowhere in the Western developed world where foreigners are coerced to have up to $10,000 before they can embark on a business in those country.
This is the beginning of worst things to come, if care is not taken. It is time for Nigeria to quit ECOWAS and their so-called African Union (AU), since Nigerians have become targets of other African countries. Nigeria should pull out and stop the practice of footing bills for continental and regional unions/organisations of this and that. Nigeria has always played the role of "big brother" in Africa. But we can't allow Nigerians to be treated as slaves in Ghana, South Africa, Lybia, etc. The Nigerian Government should not allow things to go worse before acting.
Zik Gbemre.
August 28, 2020
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
While I strongly condemn the harassment and ill-treatment of Nigerian traders and business owners in Ghana by the Ghanian Security operatives and people, which have made major headlines and have attracted global attention, I also strongly believe that the said unfortunate incident should be taken as another wake up call for the Nigerian Government and its citizenry to honestly start investing heavily in Nigeria. There was a time it was "Ghana Must Go", now we are seeing "Nigerians Must Go" in Ghana indirectly. And they are able to do this because they have succeeded in having a strong developed economic and governance structure in their country, which Nigerian have not been able to succeed in doing in theirs.
Though, the relationship between Nigeria and Ghana has been frosty since the late 60s and early 70s, and still counting, I am a bit surprised that the said relationship is getting worst by the day, despite all that Ghana has benefitted economically from Nigeria. Nigeria has been giving them gas through the West African Gas pipelines to operate their power plants and factories. Many Nigerians have taken Ghana as their second home, with so many investments in that country in different sectors like Banking, Real Estate, etc. Many Nigerians also school in Ghana and they are made to pay heavily like foreign students. Not to mention some Nigerian politicians who loot and take there. In fact, Nigerians and Ghanians see themselves as brothers and sisters.
So, it is therefore condemnable when Nigerians traders in Ghana are getting their shops locked and beaten by Security operatives, who were implementing a new policy that required that all foreigners cannot own some businesses without investing heavily in Ghana first. Let us be reminded that most of the traders had their businesses registered in Ghana by the relevant Ghanian authorities. And have been paying taxes all these while. So, why come now to demand that they first invest heavily before they can be allowed to operate?
The truth is, with such policies from Ghana, and the Ghanian police harassing Nigerians, the purpose of the ECOWAS AND AFRICAN UNION TRADE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN AFRICAN COUNTRIES IS DEFEATED AND USELESS. AS SUCH, I BELIEVE THAT NIGERIA SHOULD QUIT both regional and continental Organisations/Unions with immediate effect. Until Nigerians in Ghana and other African countries are treated with respect in those countries. It is appalling that the rest of African countries only think of what they can gain from Nigeria, and not what they can contribute toward smoothening the relationships.
I have warned severally, particularly when South-Africans were attacking Nigerians in their country, that sooner or later, other African countries will start attacking Nigerians in their country. If as at 1995, Nigerian petty traders were asked to meet up with $50,000 to do business in Ghana, and yet they still export their businesses there, what then has changed to bring about this new policy? There is nowhere in the Western developed world where foreigners are coerced to have up to $10,000 before they can embark on a business in those country.
This is the beginning of worst things to come, if care is not taken. It is time for Nigeria to quit ECOWAS and their so-called African Union (AU), since Nigerians have become targets of other African countries. Nigeria should pull out and stop the practice of footing bills for continental and regional unions/organisations of this and that. Nigeria has always played the role of "big brother" in Africa. But we can't allow Nigerians to be treated as slaves in Ghana, South Africa, Lybia, etc. The Nigerian Government should not allow things to go worse before acting.
Zik Gbemre.
August 28, 2020
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes